Newcastle: Alan Pardew's 8 Biggest Head Aches Right Now

8. Is Abeid Worth Keeping Tiote Out For?

The emergence of Mehdi Abeid this season in the holding role vacated by the mysteriously injured (and reportedly sometimes unhappy) Cheick Tiote has been one of the revelations of Newcastle's most impressive run of form. Having been mostly cast off as an inevitable sale, he returned from loan at Panathinaikos with ringing endorsements, and has forced his way admirably into Pardew's thinking. But is he good enough to keep Cheick Tiote out? The Answer Tiote is a different kind of player: more aggressive, more likely to hold up play and retain possession, and more likely to stop Newcastle breaking quickly. He shouldn't play in this system, but he's Pardew's man and has already been called "world class" this season by his manager. Rumour has it he wants out, and the club are considering cashing in, but you still have to suspect that Pardew will put him back in the team as soon as he's fit.